Victoria E.
Yelp
This one is for you Tracy A. You said. "Why on earth would anyone write a review about Starbucks? What is there to write about?" Challenge accepted. :-)
I'm anti Starbucks. Though throughout the years of travel abroad, Starbucks became so ubiquitous that you start to use it as a refuge when you are homesick. In addition,every conference you go to they give you a gift certificate of $5 Starbucks card. So you keep on reminding yourself that you must use them but you can't bring yourself to a Starbucks.
Thus, this is a rare occasion to sing praises of this coffee giant based in Seattle. It's the location that made the difference.
Park on Broadway, skip the Lyon Street Stairs, walk through the Presidio, and you are at this Starbucks in less than half an mile. More ambitious walkers / runners should start from Golden Gate Park, then pass through the chaotic Clement and then enter on the side of on 9th and Lake into the Presidio, then continue on down through Presidio and you end up near Lombard and Legion of Honor. A great route. Except one should always plan for a pit stop. Enter this Starbucks. It's strategically located. You can get a bathroom break, free wifi and coffee and things before completing your running/walking route. Take a look at this Building C while at it. Every firm inside of this building seems to be a private equity firm. Interesting. Long table is excellent for doing your scavenger hunt strategy session. We were on foot and did not know what it was. It was the annual play-dash day. It started there. There were two teams of five occupying the long table. The game went all the way to Marina Green. I ended up chatting up with that organizer who choose this very Starbucks as the beginning of the route. He also ended it there as well.
The building is very airy and warm, it faces a huge green lawn, and it felt like you are out and about (which you are until that very moment of coming inside of Building C) and so close to the nature. When did Presidio go upscale? Always living in the shadow of the GGP, it's so very much under appreciated. Now, you don't have to worry about that bathroom break you've been dreading about any more. While at it, get yourself a cup of Americano before you head to Crissy Fields. It gets windy. You will need a warm drink on hand.
I never saw the Yoda statue but there was a statue of Philo T. Farnsworth, aka the guy who invented TV right next to it, this particular statue in the Presidio by the Starbucks garnished a nice review on NYT three years back. Don't miss it.
An added bonus. A great date place. There is a man made pond just down the green lawn. Grab your coffee and things, head to the pond, watch the duckies, and then sit on the bench while holding hands, admiring the pink spring flowers in bloom on the tall branches. You are almost always alone, and it's almost guaranteed to be romantic. All that for just $3 / cup of coffee.
You may actually grow to like Starbucks.
